An electrical submersible pump assembly has first and second modular component sections, each of the sections having an outer housing and an inner shaft member. A coupling sleeve having a bore is disposed between the modular component sections and receives the shaft member of each of the component sections. The bore of the coupling sleeve and the shaft members have mating drive shoulders for transmitting torque. An axial tension transmitting shoulder is affixed to the shaft member of the first modular component section and located in the bore of the coupling sleeve. A latch member carried by the shaft member of the second modular component section engages the axial tension transmitting shoulder as the modular components are moved together to secure the shaft members to one another for transferring axial tension from one of the shaft members to the other. A retainer prevents disengagement of the latch member.
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16. An electrical submersible pump assembly comprising:
an electrical motor assembly for suspension within a well;
a pump secured below and driven by the motor assembly;
the motor assembly and the pump having drive shafts with splined ends located adjacent one another;
a coupling sleeve having internal splines that engage the splined ends of the drive shafts of the motor assembly and the pump to transmit rotational forces from the shaft in the motor assembly to the shaft in the pump;
a latch member that connects the splined ends of the shafts for transmitting downward thrust on the shaft in the pump to the shaft in the motor assembly; and
a thrust bearing located in the motor assembly to transfer the downward thrust imposed on the shaft in the motor assembly by the shaft in the pump to a housing of the motor assembly.
1. An electrical submersible pump assembly comprising:
first and second modular component sections, each of the sections having an outer housing and an inner shaft member;
a coupling sleeve having a bore and disposed between the modular component sections and receiving therein the shaft member of each of the component sections, the bore of the coupling sleeve and exterior portions of the shaft members having mating torque transmitting shoulders;
an axial tension transmitting shoulder carried by the shaft member of the first modular component section;
a latch member carried by the shaft member of the second modular section that moves into engagement with the axial tension transmitting shoulder to secure the shaft members to one another for transferring axial tension from one of the shaft members to the other; and
a retainer carried by one of the shaft members and located adjacent the latch member, the retainer having a locked position that prevents the latch member from disengaging from the axial tension transmitting shoulder once engaged.
10. An electrical submersible pump assembly, comprising:
first and second modular component sections, each having a central shaft and an outer housing:
a first shaft end on the shaft of the first modular component section, the first shaft end having at least one drive shoulder thereupon;
a second shaft end on the shaft of the second modular component section, the second shaft end having at least one drive shoulder thereupon;
a coupling sleeve having a bore and a drive shoulder within the bore that meshes with the drive shoulders of the first and second shaft ends to transmit torque;
a socket having an interior with an axial tension transmitting shoulder therein, the socket being affixed to the first shaft end;
a latch member affixed to the second shaft end, the latch member having fingers with free ends that deflect radially inward as the latch member is moves within the socket, the ends of the fingers moving radially outward as they reach the axial tension transmitting shoulder; and
a retainer that is carried by the first shaft end radially inward from the ends of the fingers after the catches have engaged the axial tension transmitting shoulder to prevent disengagement of the fingers from the axial tension transmitting shoulder.
2. The assembly of
3. The assembly of
4. The assembly of
5. The assembly of
a plurality of axially extending fingers with catches that are configured to engage the axial tension transmitting shoulder; the catches of the fingers being resiliently movable in radial directions as they slide into engagement with the axial tension transmitting shoulder; and the retainer comprises:
an annular member located radially from the catches of the fingers to restrict radial movement of the catches after the catches are in engagement with the axial tension transmitting shoulder.
6. The assembly of
the axial tension transmitting shoulder comprises an internal ledge located within the socket;
the latch member comprises a plurality of axially extending fingers with catches that are configured to engage the axial tension transmitting shoulder; portions of the fingers being resilient to allow the catches to deflect radially outward as they engage the internal ledge while the latch member moves into the socket; and the retainer comprises:
an annular member carried by the shaft member of the first modular section, the annular member having an outer periphery that locates radially inward from the catches of the fingers to restrict inward radial movement after the catches are in engagement with the axial tension transmitting shoulder.
7. The assembly of
8. The assembly of
9. The assembly according to
a shear member that retains the axial tension transmitting shoulder to the shaft member of the first modular section, the shear member shearing upon sufficient tensile overpull to release the shaft members from each other.
11. The assembly according to
12. The assembly according to
13. The connection assembly of
14. The assembly according to
a rod secured to the first shaft end and extending coaxially from the first shaft end;
wherein the retainer comprises an annular member that slides over the rod and is axially moveable relative to the rod; and wherein the assembly further comprises:
a coil spring secured to the rod and to the retainer for urging the retainer away from the first shaft end.
15. The assembly according to
a converging ramp surface formed in the socket at the axial tension transmitting shoulder that causes the fingers to deflect radially inward as the latch member moves into the socket; and wherein
the retainer comprises an annular member with an outer diameter greater than an inner diameter defined by the ends of the fingers while deflected radially inward, and less than an inner diameter defined by the ends of the fingers while moved radially outward.
17. The assembly according to
18. The assembly according to
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This application is a continuation-in-part of Ser. No. 10/160,899, filed Jun. 3, 2002, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,883,604, issuing Apr. 26, 2005, which claims the provisional filing date of Jun. 5, 2001, Ser. No. 60/296,014.
The invention relates to devices and techniques for coupling shafts and other portions of submersible pump assemblies and like components.
Conventionally, electrical submersible pump (“ESP”) assemblies have been made up of a series of interconnectable modular sections including one or more pump sections with an associated fluid intake, a motor section and a seal section. Each of these sections includes an outer housing and a central drive shaft. At present, the shafts and their connections are designed so that they can primarily transmit a compression load. The shaft of each section is interconnected with the shaft of the adjacent section by straight splines for transmitting torque only. There are normally no securing members used that would resist pulling apart of the shafts. Placement of the shafts or shaft connections under tension loads will cause the connection to separate easily.
This sort of “compression only” connection between shaft members is permissible when a standard ESP configuration is used wherein the pump section(s) are located above the seal and motor sections. In pump assemblies with pumps mounted above the motor, down thrust on the shafts typically passes downward to a thrust bearing located in the seal section between the pump or pumps and the motor. The motor also normally has a thrust bearing. The thrust bearings in the seal and motor sections support the pump sections, and the shaft members in the pump sections are not placed in tension.
When a “bottom intake” ESP configuration is used, however, the pump section(s) are located below the motor and seal section in the wellbore. An expensive thrust bearing is normally mounted to the lower end of the pump section(s) to support the ESP components. Downward force on the shaft sections in the pump(s) passes to the thrust bearing at the lower end of the pump(s).
Although it might be possible to simply pin or weld the shafts of adjacent ESP sections together to transmit tension, there is an operational problem with doing so. In practice, it is difficult to assemble and disassemble the pinned shafts since they reside within the housings. If the connection is welded, it is quite difficult to disassemble the sections after removal of the pump assembly from the wellbore.
The invention provides methods and devices for interconnection of components within an electrical submersible pump assembly and the like. This interconnection is preferably between a motor assembly and a pump section. The shaft sections are interconnected to support compression loading as well as a predetermined amount of tension loading.
A coupling sleeve has a bore and is disposed between the modular component sections for receiving therein the shaft member of an adjacent component sections. The bore of the coupling sleeve and exterior portions of the shaft members have mating torque transmitting shoulders. An axial tension transmitting shoulder is carried by the shaft member of one of the modular component sections. A latch member, carried by the shaft member of an adjacent modular section, moves into engagement with the axial tension transmitting shoulder as the modular sections are moved toward each other. The engagement of the latch member with the axial tension transmitting shoulder secures the shaft members to one another for transferring axial tension from one of the shaft members to the other.
A retainer is carried by one of the shaft members and located adjacent the latch member. The retainer has a locked position that prevents the latch member from disengaging from the axial tension transmitting shoulder once engaged.
When a pump assembly is used in a bottom intake configuration, the thrust bearing in the motor assembly above the pump sections handles down thrust imposed on the shafts. Preferably, the thrust bearing is located in the seal section between the motor and the pump or pumps. The down thrust on the shafts transfers through the latch member between the seal section and the pump or pumps.
A seal section 21 connects to the lower end of motor 17. Seal section 21 is a conventional component that reduces pressure differential between the hydrostatic pressure in casing 13 and the interior pressure of lubricant contained within motor 17. The dielectric lubricant in motor 17 is in fluid communication with dielectric lubricant in seal section 21. Although normally separate components, seal section 21 and motor 17 could be permanently joined and are considered herein to be a part of a motor assembly.
At least one pump section secures to the lower end of seal section 21. In this embodiment, two pump sections 23, 25 are shown connected in tandem, but only one pump could be used. Upper pump section 23 has a discharge 24 at its upper end for discharging well fluid into the interior of casing 13. Discharge 24 could alternately be in a lower part of seal section 21. An intake manifold 27 is located at the lower end of lower pump section 25. Intake manifold 27 extends into a packer 28 that seals the lower end of lower pump section 25 to casing 13. Well fluid from perforations (not shown) in casing 13 below packer 28 flows into intake manifold 27 and is discharged out discharge 24.
Motor 17 is connected to seal section 21 by a conventional connector 29, which typically employs bolts that extend through flanges. The connector between seal section 21 and upper pump 23 and the connector between upper pump 23 and lower pump 25 are preferably constructed the same.
Motor 17, seal section 21, and pumps 23 and 25 each has a segment of a drive shaft 37, shown in
A stud 43 has a threaded end 45 that secures into a mating threaded receptacle in the lower end of drive shaft 37 in seal section 21. A socket 47 slides over the protruding portion of stud 43. Socket 47 is secured to stud 43 by a shear pin 49 that extends through a hole transversely formed through them. Socket 47 has a socket interior 51 that is cylindrical. An annular ramp 53 is located within socket interior 51. Ramp 53 converges inward in an upward direction to a minimum diameter at an axial tension transmitting shoulder 55. The minimum inner diameter of ramp 53 is smaller than the inner diameter of the portions of socket interior 51 located below it. The outer diameter of shoulder 55 is preferably the same as the inner diameter of the portions of socket interior 51 below ramp 53.
A rod 57 has a threaded end 59 secured to a threaded receptacle in the lower end of stud 43. Rod 57 extends downward on the longitudinal axis of shaft 37. Rod 57 has a lower polygonal end 61 in this embodiment to enable rod 57 to be engaged by a wrench to secure its threaded end 59 to stud 43. Polygonal end 61 is optional and could be replaced with other means for rotating threaded rod 57 into threaded engagement with stud 43.
A retainer 63 is carried by rod 57. In this embodiment, retainer 63 is an annular disk with a neck 65 on its lower end. Rod 57 extends through a hole in retainer 63. A coil spring 67 encircles and secures to neck 65, which has a radially extending shoulder in the embodiment of
Referring to
A latch member 75 has a threaded end 77 that engages a threaded receptacle formed in the upper end of shaft 37 in upper pump 23. Latch member 75 has a plurality of fingers 79 arranged in a cylindrical array. The upper ends of fingers 79 are free and resilient so that they can deflect radially inward and outward. A catch or exterior ledge 81 is located on the upper end of each finger 79.
To connect seal section 21 (
When they spring radially outward, the inner diameter defined by finger 79 again returns to the diameter d1, which is greater than the outer diameter of retainer 63. Fingers 79 thus disengage from retainer 63. Coil spring 67 pulls retainer 63 back downward to the first position in substantial alignment with catches 81 and tension transmitting shoulder 55. While in the position shown in
The straight axial movement of the modular component sections toward each other thus causes latch member 75 to automatically snap into engagement with shoulder 55 as well as automatically causes retainer 63 to move to the locked position shown in
The connection between shafts 37 in lower pump section 25 and upper pump section 23 preferably has a latch member 75 constructed as shown in
While a similar latch member 75 could be located at the connection of shafts 37 between seal section 21 and motor 17, in this embodiment, motor 17 has its own thrust bearing (not shown) located at its upper end. Consequently, there is no need for a latch member to transmit tension between the upper end of shaft 37 in seal section 21 and the lower end of shaft 37 in motor 17.
The invention has significant advantages. The latch member enables tension to be transmitted from the shaft to another within an electrical submersible pump assembly. The latch member is readily connected simply by pushing the modular sections into engagement with each other. The retainer prevents the latch member from becoming disengaged with the load transmitting shoulder. The latch member enables one to employ a thrust bearing above the pump or pumps when mounted below the motor assembly.
While the invention has been shown in only two of its forms, it should be apparent to those skilled in the art that it is not so limited but is susceptible to various changes. For example, the latch member could be inverted with the fingers located in the upper section pointing downward for engaging the axial tension transmitting shoulder. The latch member could be utilized with pumps mounted above the motor if transmitting tension between the shafts is desired.
Brookbank, Earl B., Mack, John J.
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